Monica Saigal Bhide's Blog, page 13

Harissa Smeared Chicken

Have you met Harissa yet? If not let me introduce you to this fab condiment.  How much do I love harissa? So much that I always overdo it. I’ll use it to excess on everything in sight, then have to take a break from it for a while. I use it in stews, soups and sandwiches; as a topping for pizzas; to boost flavor in pastas; even on french fries. It truly is addictive. Well, for me, anyway.

This lovely red paste/sauce/condiment hails from North Africa and is prepared with chili peppers, ground coriander, cumin and olive oil. As with almost any other condiment, regional variations are the norm. And fair warning: It is super hot and spicy. You can make it mild, of course, by using milder peppers, but the heat is part of its charm.

Google it and you will find many recipes and many sources where you can buy it. I love the Cava brand.

One of my favorite ways to use it is in this super-simple recipe. It really doesnt require any effort and yet tastes so marvelous. SO here is what you do -

Monica’s Harissa Smeared Chicken

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan on medium heat. Add about a pound and a half of diced chicken. Cook for about 8 – 10 minutes until the chicken is completely cooked through. Now add harissa to taste – start with a tablespoon and if you like more heat, add more. Mix well. Toss in a 1/4 cup of peanuts and two handfuls of steamed green beans. Mix well. Check seasoning – you may need some salt.

Serve with a smile.

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A favorite book

 

Let me start by saying that Ruhlman is one of my heroes. I always learn from him, always. His style really appeals to me: always a no nonsense approach to cooking that is filled with common sense and a guts. I really enjoy reading his work not just for pleasure but as a form of ongoing education.

I was thrilled to receive a press copy of his newest book. Ruhlman’s Twenty. This is not the sort of book that you an review by looking through it. You really have to read it, almost as a textbook, and then apply the principles taught.

And I did just that. But before I go into that, let me tell you about this book: It is divided into sections like water, onion, poach, roast… that may seem random but are really not. Ruhlman has focused on many staples ways of working in the kitchen and really shown how to make them shine.  Each section explains the technique and then provides recipes. The photos, which will make you hungry in an instant, are all shot by his wife Donna.

I adore cooking with onions, they are a critical part of my recipes, so needless to say, the first section I turned to was on onions. I learned the difference between sweating and caramelizing onions but more importantly, I learned a technique for sweating onions with a bacon rind on top of them (there is a recipe, you should buy the book for that alone).

The recipe that I am posting here is about how to roast shallots. I made these as soon as I read the recipe and let me tell you, your taste buds will thank you for a long time to come.

My verdict on this book? Buy it and find a prominent place in your kitchen to display it. Before you cook, anything, open the book and read a section. You will learn a lot and your dishes will be better for it.

Ruhlman’s Roasted Shallots

Makes 1 roasted shallot per shallot

Roasting shallots makes them very soft and very sweet. They make a fantastic garnish and ingredient. Add them to soups, stews, or sauces, or purée them in vinaigrettes. Serve them whole alongside roast beef, pork, or chicken, or chop them to a paste and heat them with a little water and butter, seasoned with vinegar, for a quick pan sauce. They couldn’t be easier to prepare.

Shallots, unpeeled, roots cut off

Butter or canola or olive oil

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C/gas 6.

Put the shallots on a piece of aluminum foil large enough to enclose them or in a cast iron pan. For each shallot, add about 1 teaspoon of butter or oil. Sprinkle with salt and a few grinds of pepper. If using foil fold it around the shallots and seal tightly.

Roast until the shallots are completely soft and a knife can be inserted without resistance, about 1 hour. When the shallots are cool enough to handle, remove the skins. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Recipe and image reprinted with permission from “Ruhlman’s Twenty” by Michael Ruhlman (Chronicle Books, 2011)

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Attitude

Last year I ran a successful year-long program called Powered by Hope. The intent of the program is to help you follow your creative dreams by powering your spirit with hope! I am glad the program was so well received. This year, in addition to new posts, I will also be sharing a few of the best posts from the program. From now until the end of 2015, you will receive a minimum of two posts a month focused on hope. I hope you will enjoy them and that they will inspire you to follow your dreams!

ATTITUDE 

 

Ah, my favorite topic. I get regular emails from readers saying that I am too positive. This always makes me laugh. What is too positive? Would they rather read bad news? Would they rather I tell them all that is wrong with this world? Well, there are already so many people doing that and doing it well. Turn to any news channel, any news website, any blogger talking about politics, current events, and it is all there to read.

I try not to be Pollyanna but I found that if I am not positive, nothing that I am working on gets done. I make worrying about things an art form! I could worry about anything for any length of time (and sometimes I still do). But what I am finding more and more is that the worry does nothing except make me feel ill, both physically and mentally. What works better for me is to have a positive attitude with a focus that good things are coming and I just have to happily keep working towards them. Whether or not the good things come then becomes moot because I am happy in my journey—and that is the point.

 

Are you a glass half full or a glass half empty person? What works for you? Why?

 

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Moong Dal Medallions

I learned this recipe at the Park Hotel in Bangalore. Chef Rajiv Vimal was kind enough to give me demo of the recipe as well. In fact, he set up a special demo station outside (second photo below) to give us a demo.

It is super easy. The recipe, as you will see, is in grams since India is on the metric system. It is really easy to follow and the results are delicious. Moong dal is a simple yellow lentil that is easily available at any Indian store (also on Amazon). And the fried version is here. I just adore the friend moong dal as a snack and often have a bowl of it on my desk as a great munchie!

Notice that the recipe needs no salt! The fried lentils had enough salt and great crunch. I like to add sliced green chilies to this as well (step 5). You can also add fresh, minced cilantro to give this another dimension.

(500 grams is about 17 ounces …)

Moong Dal Medallions

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

 

500 grams yellow moong dal

300 grams cabbage

1 + 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

200 grams fried moong dal

½ teaspoon chaat masala

½ teaspoon cayenne

½ teaspoon ground coriander powder

1 tablespoon rice flour

Method

Rinse and boil the yellow moong dal till just done (soft but firm). Drain and set the cooked lentils aside.
Chop the cabbage finely and saute in a tablespoon of oil. Cook until the cabbage is  soft and tender.
Add the yellow moong dal and the fried dal to the sautéed cabbage and mix well. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.
Mix in the chaat masala, coriander powder and cayenne.
Add a tablespoon or so of rice flour to the mixture. This will help bind the mix. You can add sweet rice flour, chick pea flour or dried breadcrumbs. Anything that will be a good binder.
When ready to serve: take about a small fistful of the mixture in your palms and shape it gently into a medallion.
Heat the remaining oil in a griddle. Add the medallion and brown on both sides.
Serve with your choice of chutney.

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Monica’s Indian Express: Chaat Masala Butter

I am so pleased to share with you the next recipe in my series: Monica’s Indian Express: Simple & Sassy Weeknight Dishes.

Chaat Masala is one Indian spice mix you need to know about. This wonderful savory mix is great on fruits and fries alike! I use it here to flavor butter.

Chaat Masala Butter Log
2 tablespoons minced red onion
1 tablespoon finely minced cilantro
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound unsalted butter at room temperature.
2 tablespoons chaat masala
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
For the butter, mix together all the ingredients in a small bowl . Roll butter into a log using parchment paper. Refrigerate until needed.

Now this baby can be used for sandwiches, atop skillet breads or use your imagination. It is a butter packed with flavor, punched up with spices and is just delightful! I dont keep it for more than a week or so.

 

Hearty thanks to Alka at Sindi Rasoi for shooting the photograph for me! She is a delightful photographer and her information is here:

Website: SindhIRasoi.com
Facebook page:Sindhirasoi
Twitter : Sindhirasoi

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Recognize Opportunities

Last year I ran a successful year-long program called Powered by Hope. The intent of the program is to help you follow your creative dreams by powering your spirit with hope! I am glad the program was so well received. This year, in addition to new posts, I will also be sharing a few of the best posts from the program. From now until the end of 2015, you will receive a minimum of two posts a month focused on hope. I hope you will enjoy them and that they will inspire you to follow your dreams!

RECOGNIZE OPPORTUNITIES

 

You may have heard this story before; it has been making rounds on the Internet. Please forgive me if I tell it once more.

A shoe company sends two salesmen to a small, remote village in Africa to check out the market there for shoes. The first one sends an email back: “Flying back tomorrow. There is no market here, no one wears shoes.” The shoe company president reads the message and decides to call the young man back. The second salesman also sends an email but his reads: “SEND MORE SHOES. No one here wears them so there is a huge market. Looks like I need to tell my wife I will be gone for a while.” He got a promotion.

 

If you think this story isInternet legend or bogus, then go to Google and search out the story about the poor Indian man who created sanitary napkins. He found out that less than 7% of Indian women used napkins. Others (mostly poor) just made do with small pieces of cloth. Instead of thinking “No one is doing it so there is no market,” he spent years thinking “93% market share!” He went to on to create jobs for millions of rural women who could now make these napkins at small local factories and use them.

 

These stories have made a huge impression on me. I tend to be the one with glass-half-empty syndrome, so now each time I am faced with a situation that looks less than positive, I remind myself of these stories.

 

Do you agree with these stories? I would love your thoughts.

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Rice and Peas

Basmati Rice and Peas – A match made in heaven

I have been meaning to start posting some recipes with photos so finally, here it is. This is one of our family favorites. It showcases how easy it is to use spices and how a single spice can add such accent and depth to a dish. You can also make this dish with brown basmati rice. The rice in itself is fragrant and has a nutty flavor. Use petit peas, they add a touch of natural sweetness and the cumin adds a toasty flavor. You can eat this by itself or serve it with your favorite side or curry.

Next week, I will be posting a super simple way to make fish.

Serves 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

1 cup Basmati rice

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

½ teaspoon whole cumin seeds

1 cup frozen peas (no need to thaw)

2 cups of water

Table salt to taste

1.                   Rinse the rice at least 3–4 times with water. Drain and set aside.

2.                   In a deep pan, heat the vegetable oil on medium heat.

3.                   Add the cumin seeds. When the begin to sizzle, add the peas.

4.                   Sauté for about 2-3 minutes

5.                   Add the rice and salt. Mix well. Add the water and bring to a rolling boil.

6.                   Reduce the heat to the lowest setting.

7.                   Cover  the rice with a lid and cook for about 15-20 minutes or until most of the water has evaporated. You will see small craters forming on top of the rice.

8.                   Remove from heat. Let it sit for about 5 minu

te

s. Fluff with a fork before serving. Serve hot.

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Powered By Hope – GIVE

Last year I ran a successful year-long program called Powered by Hope. The intent of the program is to help you follow your creative dreams by powering your spirit with hope! I am glad the program was so well received. This year, in addition to new posts, I will also be sharing a few of the best posts from the program. From now until the end of 2015, you will receive a minimum of two posts a month focused on hope. I hope you will enjoy them and that they will inspire you to follow your dreams!

GIVE

Want something? They say to get what you really want, you need to give that out. Sounds a bit nuts, I know. But it works. I am surrounded by successful writers, chefs, and business people and you know what is the one common trait that I see in most of them? They are generous with their knowledge, their insights, and their experiences. In spite of having schedules that make them gallop around the world, in spite of being so busy that they can barely answer all their emails and phone calls, in spite of being pulled in seven directions at the same time, their response has always been: “How can I help?” Whether it is the answer to a simple recipe question or a “What am I doing with my life?” question; a “What makes a true brand?” query or a “Can you help me learn Mexican cuisine?” request—my questions are endless and their generosity trumps that endlessness. I think this works well for these folks because all the positive energy they put out, they get back in spades. Goodwill is contagious and I always try to pay it forward.

A word of caution here: Goodwill is to be earned and is not something we are entitled to. I try to be respectful when asking. When people give me something, I try to be gracious, respectful and, above all, grateful.

 

And with giving? Give like no one is watching and everyone is in the know! A true giver gives without any sense of wanting anything back in return.

 

I do strongly believe what we put out, comes back to us. Karma rocks!

 

 

 

 

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Kojo Show and Live Reading Event at Equinox

Friends – On Dec 18th, I will be live on The Kojo Nnamdi Show discussing my book The Devil in Us and also talking about my fav reads of this year. I hope you will call in! We are scheduled to be on from 1:00 – 2:00 on WAMU. I am so very honored, and still a little stunned, to be invited to this show.. It is a HUGE honor for a new fiction writer like me.  THANK YOU again to Kojo and his awesome team for their kind support of my work.

ALSO -

I hope you will come join me and the uber-talented Nevin Martell as we both read from our books. The event is this Sunday, Dec 21st,  at Equinox restaurant in DC. The restaurant will be serving brunch and we will be doing readings and then, of course, signing copies of our books.

 

Please do come by!

 

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Les Dames DC – Culinary Women in Words event

I was delighted and honored to participate in Les Dames d’Escoffier DC Chapter’s first annual book signing event. What made this really special is that they were kind enough to let me sign copies of  The Devil in Us!

Also thrilled that my little book made this AMAZING Huffington Post List - Best Cookbook Gifts for the Cooks and Food Lovers on Your List

“Prolific food writer and writing instructor Monica Bhide just published her first book of non-food writing. The Devil in Us is her first collection of short stories, weaving spellbinding stories of fate, fortune, and love into lessons for life. Monica’s beautiful, melodic writing, fascinating story lines and compelling characters take the reader on a journey from the States to India and back, across a wide spectrum of emotions, love, hate, friendship, hope and sorrow. The Devil in Us is the perfect stocking stuffer for anyone who loves enchanting, gripping, haunting, wonderful storytelling.” Huffington Post List - Best Cookbook Gifts for the Cooks and Food Lovers on Your List by Jamie Schler. 

Here are some photos from the lovely Les Dames event I just mentioned above -

 

 

 

 

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